Ulu Ambe, Crown of Authority of Ninik Mamak

ULU AMBEK

Ninik Mamak’s Crown of Authority

Sitting together -

Wewen

One of the oral traditions that is still alive and thriving in the Pariaman area, West Sumatra is the ulu ambek, which is a kind of silat-like performance that pits two men performing pencak movements against each other. Uniquely, in the show, the two fighters do not have direct physical contact. Therefore, this type of silat is also known as occult silat/shadow silat. Ulu ambek comes from the words ulu and ambek. One player acts as a palalu (attacker) and another person is called a paambek (fends off attack). Alternately, the two players pit their attacking and parrying skills in the form of motion symbols. The two forms of presentation mentioned above are accompanied by a vowel sound called dampeang. There are two types of dampeang, namely male dampeang and female dampeang. The male dampeang serves to accompany the ulu ambek movement to attack and fend off, and the female ulu ambek function to accompany the ulu ambek movement when not attacking or parrying.

Ulu ambek is performed above lagalaga and in the context of Alek nagari or parties organized by the community of a nagari which are held for example in the context of traditional events such as the appointment of a penghulu (chief) or for social and entertainment events. The

Just before the party

arrived - Wewen

laga-laga is a stage measuring about ten square meters . On the floor, pelupuh is installed, which is bamboo that is flattened and arranged as a base. The stage floor has a height of about half a meter from the ground, and on the side there is a hallway with a width of about one meter.

As a show that is a traditional community, the ulu ambek show is full of customary values. There are customary rules attached to the preparation and implementation of the ulu ambek performance. The customary rules imply a customary structure that is represented through the management of the ulu ambek performance. The traditional leadership in the nagari is divided into several structures, namely ninik mamak, alim ulamo, bundo kanduang, cadiak pandai, Kapalo mudo, and other communities (anak nagari). Each of these structures has a different role and function in organizing the traditional ulu ambek performance which is held in the alek nagari event.

During the preparation period, there will be negotiations from the anak nagari who take the initiative to carry out the alek nagari which shows the ulu ambek as one of the agendas. Alek nagari is large, such as the batagak (appointment) ceremony of the penghulu, which is carried out for other reasons such as for gathering in order to return to their hometowns for immigrants on religious holidays, such as Eid al-Fitr. In alek Nagari, representatives of the anak nagari initiated by the Kapalo Mudo, will convey about the intention to carry out the ritual to the niniak mamak in Nagari.

That is what is known as manyalang suntiang (borrowing a crown). After getting permission from the ninik mamak, the organizer of the event carried out manapa, namely sending invitations to ninik mamak in other villages in the Pariaman area. The ninik mamak implementing alek nagari (sipangka) will deliver invitations directly to ninik mamak in other nagari (alek). Furthermore, the residents of the nagari implementing the alek nagari will work together to organize the galanggang, which is to prepare the laga-laga and its accessories.

On the day of the alek nagari, guests from other villages will come to attend the host’s invitation. The guests who came consisted of ninik mamak, Kapalo Mudo and ulu ambek groups from their respective villages. The arrival of this guests will be welcomed by the host, accompanied by the sound of dampeang sitting on the terrace of the laga-laga.

The ninik mamak, both the hosts and the arriving alek, will sit at the top of the games. This barundiang process discusses the agreement regarding the implementation of the ulu ambek, namely the rules and performance schedule. The fighter who will perform the ulu ambek will first shake hands with the niniak mamak who are sitting on top of the matches. Each ulu ambek silat match lasts about fifteen minutes.

Moving - Wewen

Pariaman the Owner of Tradition

Ulu ambek is played by people from villages (nagari-nagari) in the Pariaman area which administratively includes Pariaman City and Pariaman Regency, West Sumatra. The Pariaman region consists of a coastal landscape bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west and hills to the east. Pariaman is bordered by Padang City in the south. Pariaman City can be reached by road for approximately one to two hours.

Pariaman is a city/district in the pasisia (coast) Minangkabau with a distinctive oral tradition. Pariaman is also known as the main route for the spread of Islam in Minangkabau. One of the centers of Islamic education and development is Nagari Ulakan which is located on the west coast of Sumatra. His famous cleric to date is Shaykh Burhanuddin, who studied in Aceh from his teacher Abdur Rauf Singkel. Ulu ambek is “suntiang niniak mamak, pamenan dek nan mudo” or crown for ninik mamak, a game for young people which is interpreted as a function of tradition for ulu ambek. Suntiang niniak mamak means that the ulu ambek tradition is a form of niniak mamak’s authority. In preparing the ulu ambek performance, you must get permission from the niniak mamak and follow the rules that have been determined by the niniak mamak as the traditional leader. This proves that the ulu ambek tradition is a tool for validating cultural institutions and institutions, in this case the niniak mamak institution. In addition, the ulu ambek has another function, namely entertainment, which is referred to as “pamenan dek nan mudo” or a game for young people.

Legacy for the young -

Wewen

Protection Effort

Ulu ambek, as a performance structure, implies the structure of society, such as the customary structure, the structure of actors, as well as the structure of the natural and social environmental conditions that support it. Preservation efforts are being made targeting all of these existing structures. For example, related to customary structures, there is a need for guarantees or legal certainty to ensure their sustainability. Likewise, with the structure of actors, it is necessary to have a good transmission process from generation to generation. Likewise, the social and natural environment need to provide support for the sustainability of the ulu ambek tradition. The most important thing is that the government, both central and regional through the section in charge of culture, needs to provide support and other facilitation for the survival of the ulu ambek tradition.

This preservation effort is carried out so that the ulu ambek tradition will find its functions and benefits in the midst of the community that owns it. One of these functions is as a guard and a symbol of the existence of custom in the community. In addition, the ulu ambek serves as an adhesive for the relationship between the people. The last function is the function of entertainment and art that can be used to maintain awareness and emotional patience of the community members. Therefore, the ulu ambek can be utilized and utilized as a cultural product that has a direct impact on improving the economy and tourism of the community. (Wewen Efendi,

Master in UI Oral Tradition Studies)

Games for the young -

Wewen

Attacking and Parrying

- Wewen